22 August 2018

Pay offer of between 2% and 2.7% base pay increase to be implemented

The University will be implementing the final national pay offer for 2018-19 in September salaries.

While we know that it will be a stretch to budgets for many HE institutions, at Leeds we support the final outcome of a minimum base pay increase of 2% for all the employees covered. We are also pleased to see the higher increases of up to 2.7% for those on pay points 3 – 15, as we recognise that cost of living pressures are often felt most keenly there. 

Pay increases will appear in September salaries and be back-dated to 1 August 2018. We do not believe it is fair to make colleagues wait for this increase, and since it is now evident that a settlement remains unachievable this year with all but one of the national trade unions, we feel it is appropriate to begin implementation.

For University of Leeds staff employed on our salary scales, the final offer means: 

• at least 2% base pay increase for all (see new salary pay points on the HR pages); 
• a greater base pay increase (to the value of £425) for staff on points up to and including point 15, (relevant to grades 2, 3 and 4*), benefitting more than 1,350 members of staff. 

The basic 2% to 2.7% pay increase is just one element of total pay, reward and recognition. Pay increases for approximately half of our colleagues also include service increments, promotion and other contribution-related pay increases (additional scale increments, discretionary increments and one-off payments). More than 4,000 (47%) members of staff receive at least 5% when taking service increments into account (2% base pay increase + 3% service increment, paid at the appropriate service date). 

 *The table below, published by Universities and Colleges Employers Association** (UCEA), outlines the percentage increases for points 3 to 15.